Newspaper-vending machine



Sept. 21 ,1'926. 1,600,623

J. D. CHESNUT ET AL NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE I I I JOHN HARE/6.4!. a4 CHARLES H I M I; I

ATTORNEYS.

J. D. CHESNUT ET AL NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE Sept. 21 1926.

Filed March 26, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllFl I11 A ll 9 lllllllllllllllllllll'l'l I M. IllLlllllllll-llllllllill INVENTOR-S uomv 0. CHESNUT.

. HARP/S A. RAW

OHAPLf'S l1 WAPF'IELD.

ATTORNEYS.

J. D. ,CVHE'SNUT ET AL NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE Sept. 21 1926.

Filed March 26, 1925 '4 Sheets-sheaf 5 uvtlvmms'. JOHN D. CH8NU7T HARP/S A. RAY

CHARLES H. WAPF/ELD. BY M W ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 21 1926.

- J. D. CHESNUT ET AL NEWSPAPER vsunme MACHINE Filed March 26, 1923 4 Sheds-Sheet 4;

a, D Y m m r m mwwm H vs w 4 N A m.# .A R HPA WHE B E Patented Sept. 21, 1926.

UNITED STATES JOHN D. CHESNUT AND HARRIS A. BAY, OF OAKLAND, AND CHARLES H. VIAEFIEL D,

OF SAN FRANCIS C0, CALIFORNIA.

(NEWSPAFER-VENIJING Macrame,

Application filed March 26, 1923. Serial No. 627,838.

This invention relates to a vending machine and especially to that type employed for selling newspapers, magazines and the like, and it more particularly seeks to provide a machine of this type adapted for use in public places such as depots, suburban ailway stations, hotels and in other places.

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify machines of this character; to provide a machine which will support newspapers on edge and in a position to be seen by the purchaser; a machine which is adapted to quickly and readily release a paper upon the insertion. of a coin and actuation of the mechanism controlled thereby; a machine which may be readily and quickly loaded or refilled by an authorized person; a machine provided with a novel feeding and releasing mechanism, which is automatically adjustable to papers of various lengths, thicknesses, etc., for in stance, the ordinary weekly form or the heavy Sunday edition, and which serves the important function of preventing the deliv cry of more than one newspaper at a time; and further to provide a coin controlled actuating mechanism which may be set to make one charge for ordinary daily editions and another charge for the heavy Sunday editions. Other objects will hereinafter appear.

One form which our invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a front view of the machine partly broken away to show the interior mechanism Fig. 2 is a plan view in section taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken on line 33 Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, it showing the paper discharging mechanism in an elevated position.

5 is a side elevation of the coin controlled actuating mechanism. I

Fig, 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the coin controlled actuating mechanism in its forward or releasing position.

Fig. 7 is a detail end view'of the coin controlled actuating mechanisml I Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, A ilk anism, and a coin controlled mechanism whereby said first mechanism is actuated. The first group of mechanism is generally indicated at B and the second group at C.

The first group of mechanism is supported by a base or frame generally indicated at 2. This base is secured to thebottom section of the casing in. anyv suitable manner and it carries a main actuating shaft 3, which extends longitudinally through the frameand is suitably journaled therein. Secured on each end of the shaft is a crank arm 4, and pivotally-connected to the outer end of each crank arm 4 is a second arm 5. These arms are-connected by a feeder bar 6, in the forward face ofwhich is formed a series of prongs 7. A frictional joint is formed as at 8 between the arms 4 and 5 and means are employed for limiting the movement of the arms 5 when they are being lowered as will hereinafter be described; the means for limiting said movement being in this instance a pair of chains or flexible cords such as shown at 9;these cords being secured at their outer ends to pins 10 carried by the respective arms 5, and at their inner ends to lugs 11 carried by the main frame.

The shaft 3 is turned b the coin controlled pusher plate 15, and disposed at the ex treme forward end ofthe tracks or supports 14 is a stop plate 16'. This plate extends across the entire front of the main supporting frame and is in actual'practioe slightly longer than the newspapers or pther articles to be dispensed. l The machine is in this instance described as a newsp per vendi g m ch ne and the newspapers to be vended are generally indicated at E. Their forward movement is limited by the stop'plate 16 which is dis posed at the lower end of the papers, and their forward movement is further limited by an' upper finger 17 which is centrally disposed with relation to the supportin frame and the tracks ll. Means are emplo-yedfor automatically advancing the papers and the pusher plate as the papers are discharged or dispensed. This means embodies an arm 18 pivotally supported near the rear of the machine and at one end thereof as indicated at 19. The forward end of this arm is connected with the center portion of the pusher plate 15 as indicated at 20 and. it is slotted as at 21 to permit a straight forward movement of the pusher plate and at arcular movement of the arm 18. The arm 18, together with the pusher plate connected therewith, is propelled in a forward direction by means of. a series ofsprings 92 3 and 24. These springs are gradually placed under tension when the pusher plate and arm 18 are moved back to the dotted line po sition indicated at 18 and they gradually release their tension. as the arm 18 and the pusher plate move in a forward direction. The spring 24 is first placed under tension; secondly, the spring 23, and lasi; the spring 22. When the machine is being loaded and anew stack of. papers is inserted, it is obvious that the load is heaviest and forward resistance of the entire stack of papers is the greatest. For this reason all three springs are placed under tension at this time, however, as the papers are dispensed and for ward movement takes place spring 22 will first release, secondly spring 23, and the final work will then be accomplished througl'i means of the spring 24..

The casing is provided. with a door F which may be unlocked by an. authorized person when the machine is to be loaded. It is, therefore, only nccess ry to insert a key and to release the door when it is desired to loadthe machine,and then to force the pusher plate back into the dotted line position shown at 18 in Fig. 2. The plate is here temporarily locked against forward movement by means of latch 25 during the loading operation. i'ihe inner end of this latch engages the arm 18 and secures it against forward movement. -The papers may then be placed forward of the pusher plate 15 until the entire space between said plate and the front stop plate 16 is Latch 25is then released by lifting upwardly on the forward end thereof as indi cated at 26 and arm 18 and pusher plate are thus free to move in a forward direction so as to maintain the foremost paper in snug engagement with the stop plate 16 and the finger 1?. The door is now closed and locked and when this is accomplished the machine is ready for operation. The machine may be operated by any one by the mere insertion of a proper coin and by de pressing the main operating lever generally indicated at G. During forward movement of this lover, a turning movement is imparted to the main operating shaft 2} in the direction of arrow 7), see Figs. 3 and 4t, and as the crank arms 4 are rigidly secured to the shaft it is obvious that they will turn in unison with the same. The arms 5, as pre' viously stated, are pivotal'ly secured to the outer ends of the arms l and as the pivotal connection frictionally secures the arms 5 against movement, it is further obvious that f the will swin the feeder bar 6 uowardl o i against the ioremost paper to a point where the arms 5 and the feeder bar 6. will assume the dotted line position indicated at 6 The frictional resistance. in the pivotal conhec- .tions or joints indicated at 8' is sufficient to ice the prongs into the foremost section the paper and positive engagement is or thus made which will cause the paper to 'lOVG in an. upward direction, as shown in i l, during further turning movement oi the main operating shaft 3; the total distance or movement imparted being that shown by the two positions indicated at 30 and 31, see Fig. 4. The lowermost position that assumed at 30 and theuppermost position is that shown at 31,. the point where actual engagement is made with the foremost paper, or where the prongs first enter, being indicated at 6. When a paper has been ele vated to the position shown in Fig. 4, at the end of the turning movement of shaft 3, shaft 3 is suddenly released and it is almost instantaneously returned due to the pull of the springs 12 on the crank arms 13. The prongs 7 will during this quick return movement be withdrawn from the paper and the paper will drop by gravity in a downward direction and during this drop it will strike tl e forward inclined face of the stop plate 16, which inclined face is indicated at 16, Fig. l, and it will then strike a pair of curved guides; or ribs 16 which form a part of the base or main frame. These guides direct the paper to an exit opening or slot 32 and the paper is thus discharged.

The coin actuating mechanism is the means relied upon for imparting a turning movement to the shaft 3 and for suddenly releasing the same when the paper to be dischar ed has been raised to its uppermost position. A brief description of the coin, actuating mechanism w'll, therefore, be given:

Tl e coin actuating mechanism is perhaps best illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. It consists of an arm 40 which is secured to the shaft 3 in any suitable manner. It secondly embodies a sleeve turnably mounted on the shaft as infill-Gated at 4:1 in Fig. 7 and the main operating lever G, which in turn is secured to the sleeve. Secured to the inner end of the sleeve and turnable in unison with the sleeve and the main operating lever G is an arm 42, and secured to the .outer end of said arm are two interspaced plates as indicated at 43 and 44. These plates are spaced apart to form two slots as indicated at and 46, and these slots align with separated slots formed in a coin chute generally indicated at 47. One slot is of a size to receive five cent pieces and the other slot is of a size to receive ten cent pieces. The openings communicating with the slots and through which the coins are inserted are indicated at 48, see Fig. 1. Disposedbehind the plate inwhich the openings 48 are disposed is a sliding plate 49, see Fig. 2. This plate has two slots formed therein as.indicated at and 51. hen the plate 40 assumes the position shown in Fig. 2, slot 50 registers with the slot through which the five cent pieces are inserted and the ten cent slot is at the same time closed. However, by sliding the plate 49 in the direction of arrow 0, see Fig. 2, the five cent slot is closed and register is made between the ten cent slot and the slot 51. In other words the coin controlled actuating mechanism is so con-- structed that it may be operated either by a five cent piece of a ten cent piece. This is of considerable importance as it permits an extra charge to be made for the heavy edi tions, such as are issued on Sundays and holidays, and a smaller price to be charged for the ordinary daily editions of the papers. The plate 49 is controlled by the operator or other authorized person having charge of the machine, and it is therefore set by him either to receive a five or ten cent piece as occasion may. demand. A five cent piece when inserted falls down through the coin chute 47 and enters the space 45 formed between the lever 42 and the plate 43. A

ten cent piece falling through the coin re-' ceiving chute 47 will enter the space 46 formed between the plates 43 and 44.

Either coin serves the function desired and the operation of the mechanism is'the same whether one coin or the other is inserted.

The arm 40 which is secured to the main operating shaft 3 is disposed below the plates 43 and 44 and as such forms a stop which arrests further downward movement of the coin when deposited between the plates. The upper end of the arm 40 is extended to cover both thespaces indicated at 45 and'46 and therefore serves as a stop in either case, that is whether a five cent piece or a ten cent piece is inserted. Pivotally mounted on one side of the arm 42, as indicated at 52, is a Y-shaped arm generally indicated at 53. This arm carries a lu or finger 54 which aligns with the spaces indicated at 45 and 46, and as such forms a stop at the rear of the arm 42 which prevents the coin from fallingout in that direc tion. lVith the coin inserted it is only necessary to swing the lever G in a forward diparted to the Y-shapedlever 53, said rock-' ing movement being imparted when one end of the lever or that indicated at 62 rides over a pin indicated at his rocking movement also causes the opposite end of the Y shaped lever or that indicated at 64 to enter the outer end of the arm 40, which is notched for the reception thereof, and lock is thus formed between the lever and the arm 40. Further movement after the coin is released will thus takefplace as arm G is moved until it engages a stop pin At this point a third extension on the Y-shaped lever or that indicated at 66 strikesasto 67 and a rockin movement is thus imparted to the Y-shaped lever which pulls the locking member 64 carried thereby out ofengagement with the notched end of:

the arm 40. The arm 40 is thus'released and as it is secured to the main operatingshaft, it can readily be seen that the operating shaft will be almost instantaneously returned to normal position due to the pull exerted 'by the springs 12 on the crank arms 13; the return movement of the shaft being limited and, being also cushioned when the outer ends of the crank arms 4 strike buffers or springs indicated at 70, see'Figs. 3 and 4; the returnposition of the arm 40 being shown and indicated at 40 in Fig. 6, and the return: position of shaft 3 and arms 4 and 5 being shown by full lines in Fig. 3.

The coin controlled actuating mechanism will not operate unless a proper coin is inserted. If the coin is too large, it simply will not enter. If it is too small, it passes through and no action will take place; "If a coin is not inserted, and even though the lever G be pushed to its forward position indicated in F ig. 6, no loch-jwill be formed between the arm 40 and the lever or" arm 42; that is, simultaneous movement of the arms 40 and 42 will only take place when a C0111 1s interposed between the upper end .of the arm 40 and the lug 54 which is caroperating the machine may pull the lever G back or he may leave the lever in engage ment with the stop 65. If he should do so, the levers would be returned to normal position by means of a spring generally indicated at 80. V

A rather specific form of coin controlled actuating mechanism has here been described. e, however, wish it understood that any other suitable form of coincontrolled mechanism may be employed as we "donot wish to limit ourselves to the type here illustrated. The only essential mechanism required would be a coin controlled mechanism which is capable of imparting a turning movement to the shaft 3, and which will release the shaft 3 when it has been turned a predetermined distance. We further wish it understood that various ,changes in the const-ruction and arrange 'ment of the several parts herein shown and described may be resorted; to within the scope of the appended claims; similar y, that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the expo rience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate or various uses may demand.

Having thus described our invention, What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a machine of the character described a support adapted to receive a plu- Iralit-y ofpapers on end, a stop forward of the support engageable with the foremost paper, a pusher plate engaging the rearmostpaper and adapted to advance the papers towards the stop as they are discharged one by one, and means for automatically advancing the pusher plate, said means comprising an arm pivot-ally supported at one end and positioned so that its free end engages the center portion of the pusher plate, and a plurality of sprin s of different length connected to the arm, all of said springs exerting a tension to swing the arm and the plate forwardly when the plate and arm are retracted, and each spring automatically and successively releasing its tension as the arm and plate advance.

EZQIn a machine of the character described a support adapted to receive a plurality of papers on end, a stop forward of the support engageable with the foremostpaper, a pusher plate engaging the rearmost paper and adapted to advance the papers towards the stop as they are discharged one by one, and means for automatically advancing the pusher plate, said means comprising an arm pivotally supported at one end and positioned so that its free end engages the center portion of the pusher plate, and a plurality of springs connected to the arm at points intermediate the pivot and the free end, said springs being ofdecreasing length and releasing their pull on the arm one after the other as the arm swings forwardly and the pusher plate advances.

3. In a machine of the character described, a casing, a support within the easing adapted to receive a plurality of papers on end, a stop member on the forward end of the support engaging the lower edge of the foremost paper, means for automatically advancing the papers against the stop and for maintaining the foremost paper in engagement therewith, a main actuating shaft extending longitudinally of the frame and journaled therein, a pair of crank arms one on each end of the shaft, a pair of arms pivotally secured on the outer end of each crank arm, means maintaining the last named arms andthe crank arms in frictional engagement to produce a friction joint, a feeder bar connecting the outer ends I of the last named arms, a series of prongs carried by the feeder bar, means for imparting a partial rotarymovement to the main actuating shaft to elevate the crank arms,

the second named arms andthe feeder bar,

and to swing the feeder bar and the prongs carried thereby inwardly into engagement with the foremost paper and to raise the foremost paper above the stop, and means for uickl i reversin the movement of the shaft to quickly retract the feeder bar and the prongs to release the paper and to per mit discharge thereof.

a. In a machine of the character described, a casing, a support within the casing adapted to receive a plurality of papers on end, a stopmember on the forward end of the support engaging the lower edge of the foremost paper, means for automatically advancing the papers against the stop and for maintaining the foremost paper in engagement therewith, a main actuating shaft extending longitudinally of the frame and journaled therein, a pair of arms one on each end of the shaft, a pair of arms pivotally secured on theouter end of each crank arm, means maintaining the last named arms and the crank arms in frictional engagement to produce a friction joint, a feeder bar connecting the outer ends of the last named arms, a series of prongs carried by the feeder bar, means for imparting a partial rotary movement to the main actuating shaft to elevate the crank arms, the second named arms and the feeder bar, and to swing the feeder bar and the prongs carried thereby inwardly into engagement with the foremost paper and to raise the foremost paper above the stop, means for quickly reversing the movement of the shaft to quickly retract the feeder bar and the prongs to release the paper and'to permit discharge thereof, and a flexible connection between each end of the feeder bar and the frame, I

5. In a machine of the character described, a support adapted to receive a plurality of papers on end, a stop forward of the support engageable with the foremost paper, means for automatically advancing the papers against the stop and for maintaining the foremost paper in engagement therewith, a main actuating shaft extending longitudinally of the stop member and disposed below the same, a pair of crank arms secured to the shaft one at each end thereof, a pair of links pivotally mounted on the outer ends of said cranks, a rod connecting said links, pins in one face of said rod,

a pair of cords secured at one end to the links and at their opposite end toa stationary support, manually actuated means for imparting the rotary motion to the main actuating shaft which will lift the links and the rod carried thereby upwardly, said cords during said upward movement pulling the links and the rod inwardly so that the pins carried by the rod will engage the foremost paper and lift it upwardly to above the stop, and means for automatically releasing the main actuating shaft when it has turned a predetermined portion of a revolution and for rapidly returning the shaft so as to release the paper and to permit it to drop by gravity. v

JOHN D.-OI-IESNUT. HARRIS A. RAY. CHARLES H. WARFIELD. 

